Auckland's Covid-19 vaccination centres are starting to also offer flu vaccines to those eligible, ahead of what is expected to be a surge of cases over winter.
Photo: AFP
Flu vaccines are being rolled out this week at a number of sites run by Māori and Pacific health provider partners of the Northern Region Health Coordination Centre (NRHCC).
Those sites include: Ōtara, Manurewa Marae, Pukekohe, Takanini, Pasifika Family Health Services (pop-up events) and NRHCC outreach services.
Flu vaccines are also expected to be available at the remaining four Auckland sites and at pop-up events over the coming weeks.
GPs and pharmacies continue to offer flu vaccines to eligible people for free and non-eligible people for a cost.
Eligible people include; people aged 65 and over, Māori and Pacific aged 55 and over, pregnant women, people with underlying health issues, including asthma, diabetes and heart conditions, and children aged under 4 who have been hospitalised for respiratory illness or have a history of significant respiratory illness.
NRHCC chief clinical officer vaccinations Dr Anthony Jordan said there was increased concern of a widespread flu outbreak across Aotearoa this winter with the border re-opening.
"To put into perspective, in the year before Covid-19 came to our shores, as many as 2500 people were hospitalised across our three metro Auckland DHBs with influenza."
Influenza hasn't been circulating in communities for two years due to the border closure, which means New Zealanders' immunity to the virus is low, Jordan said.
"This poses a far greater risk to our medically vulnerable populations and is expected to put pressure back on our health system following two years of managing Covid-19.
"We know that if you get Covid-19 and then get a secondary viral infection, like influenza soon after, you have a higher risk of a poor outcome."
It was more important than ever to get a flu vaccine this year, Jordan said.
He urged people to continue to wear masks, stay home when sick and get vaccinated against Covid-19.
The [www.vaccinateforauckland.co.nz vaccinate for Auckland website] will be updated as more Covid-19 centres start to offer flu vaccinations.